THIBODAUX, La. -- The Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi baseball program (16-10, 5-3 Southland) showcased impressive resiliency in Saturday evening's second matchup at Nicholls (12-12, 4-4 Southland), evening the three-game league series against the Colonels behind a 4-3 extra innings victory. Despite surrendering two quick runs to open the first, sophomore RHP
Leo Perez battled through 5.1 frames on the mound, containing the opposing batting order to just four hits and three total runs. Offensively, the Islanders were slow to get off the ground, but solo runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings combined to grant the Blue & Green their first lead of the game. After a bullpen duel set up extra innings, the AMCC bats came alive during the 10th, grabbing a one-run advantage off a bases-loaded RBI walk before sealing the win behind a pop-up and a pair of fly outs.
Notably, the victory acts as head coach
Scott Malone's 300th win of his 12-year career, serving at the helm of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi since the 2008 season.
KEY INNINGS
Bottom | 1st
- The Nicholls offense jumped on Perez early, posting three consecutive singles and a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 edge right off the bat.
Top | 4th
- With Enrique Sanchez sitting at third after his leadoff single,
Nick Anderson managed to cut the Colonel lead in half off a deep sacrifice fly to center field.
Top | 5th
-
Luke Marbach opened the fifth with a single to deep second base, extending his team-best hit streak up to a season-high 12 consecutive matchups.
- After a single and sacrifice bunt advanced Marbach to third,
Steven Rivera-Chijin pushed a fielder's choice to deep shortstop, allowing the former to score and knotting the game at 2-2.
Top | 6th
- Junior
Joey Werner kicked off the sixth in style, notching a leadoff triple as the Nicholls outfield lost the fly ball on descent. Marbach followed up one at-bat later with his second hit of the night, easily scoring Werner and picking up the Islanders' first lead.
Bottom | 6th
- The Colonels responded after nearly five full innings of no action, tying the score at 3-3 off an RBI double.
Top | 10th
- Rivera-Chijin opened extra innings with a hit-by-pitch, and worked his way to third on a single from
Enrique Sanchez Jr. and intentional walk of Werner.
- During the next at-bat, Anderson absorbed a four-pitch RBI walk, pushing the Blue & Green back out to a one-run advantage.
ON THE MOUND
- Following Perez's strong response to a rough start, the Islanders turned to a pair of bullpen mainstays: RHP
David Worrell and LHP
Cody LeCompte. The former pounded through 2.0 frames on the hill, surrendering just one walk with no hits and no runs allowed; the southpaw, meanwhile, set down three batters on strikes while giving up just one hit.
COMING UP NEXT
With the series knotted at one game apiece, the Islanders look to claim their third-straight Southland rubber match on Sunday afternoon, first pitch set for 2 p.m. in Thibodaux, La.
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-- Go Islanders --
